Agra and Kanpur City, the top two hotspots severely affected by the virus reported 46 and 29 new cases, taking total infections in the districts to 596 and 256 respectively.

With this, the number of corona-free districts has reduced to five — Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Kaushambi and Kasganj. (Representational Photo)

As cumulative coronavirus cases in UP crossed 2,500 on Sunday, the day also marked one of the steepest 24-hour surges with 139 fresh cases being reported from several districts. Notably, the latest jump of 500 has come in six days, a slight fall from the last two 500 jumps, which took five and four days, respectively.

Agra and Kanpur City, the top two hotspots severely affected by the virus reported 46 and 29 new cases, taking total infections in the districts to 596 and 256 respectively.

In another setback to the administration, one more district, Barabanki, which had joined the “corona-free” list with zero active case, reported a fresh case.

According to sources, a woman who had returned from the Kaiserbagh area of Lucknow on April 28 and was kept under institutional quarantine has tested positive. While the woman has been admitted to a hospital in Sultanpur, her village has been sealed.

With this, the number of corona-free districts has reduced to five — Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Kaushambi and Kasganj.

While the bulletin issued by the state Directorate of the Health Services stated no fresh death, a 58-year-old coronavirus patient died in Meerut. He is the seventh person from Meerut who has succumbed to the virus so far. “The deceased was a resident of Islamabad, a hotspot, and was admitted to the emergency ward of Meerut Medical College on Saturday night. Initially, he had breathing problem but his condition deteriorated further,” said Dr S KGupta, the principal of the medical college.

Meerut has so far reported 114 cases out of which 53 have recovered. The latest person to test positive is a 35-year-old staff nurse of Meerut district hospital. “We have taken all precautionary measures at the district hospital. We have collected samples of her three relatives who were living with them for test.,” said Dr P K Bansal, chief medical superintendent of Meerut district hospital.

In Shahjahanpur, a 55-year-old suspected coronavirus patient died during treatment, PTI reported quoting a senior official.

The patient, a resident of Piprola village in the Kant area of the district, was admitted to the medical college on Saturday night after he complained of fever and breathing issues, Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajiv Gupta told PTI. He was kept in quarantine and his sample was taken for testing, he said, adding that his test report was awaited.

Eight more persons, including two women, tested positive for coronavirus in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Sunday, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases in the district to 167, officials said.

Among the new patients are a 20-year-old woman from Sector 8, 40-year-old woman from Sector 30, 50-year-old man from Sector 10, 31-year-old man from Nithari village in Sector 31 and two men, aged 31 and 38, from Mamura village. A 24-year-old man from Dadri and a 43-year-old man from Greater Noida also tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, the officer said.

Meanwhile, 56 more patients were declared recovered and discharged from across the state, taking the total number of recovery to 754. With this the state now has 1,848 active cases.